1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in a sunshade. More particularly, the present sunbrella-sunscreen is constructed from a fabric mesh that can be installed either over and around an existing hat or on an umbrella type holding mechanism to create a permeable or impermiable shade through which air may pass and also protect people from UV sun rays.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Protection from the elements of sun and rain has long been desirable. The sun produces harmful UV rays that are harmful to exposed skin. The heat from the sun can also make a person uncomfortable. In some cases full blocking of sunlight is preferred, but full blocking of the sun also blocks air movement. A better approach is to use a mesh product that blocks the majority of sunlight and also allows air movement. A person can wear a hat to block some sunlight, but in most cases the brim of a hat is often not large enough to provide the desired amount of UV protection.
For people that don't wear hats, protection from the sun can take the form of a sunbrella where the sunbrella can be made from a mesh product that provides both shade and air movement. A nonporous attachment can also be added to the sunbrella to provide protection from rain. Several products and patents have been issued that try to address some of these issues, but no patents cover all of the features, functions and benefits that are claimed in this application exist. Exemplary examples of patents covering some of these features are found in the disclosed references herein.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,289 issued Feb. 23, 1982 to Melvin O. Hild discloses a sun shield for a hard hat. The sun shield is a hard relatively thick, generally oval piece of rigid plastic with a central aperture where a hard hat can be placed through the central aperture. Because this sun shield is made from a hard piece of plastic it does not provide for air movement through the sun shield and is difficult to store in a pocket because it is not flexible.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,587,681 issued Jun. 8, 1926 to L. F. Schumacher, U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,250 issued Mar. 17, 1998 to Randolph Black and U.S. Pat. No. D617, 539 issued Jun. 15, 2010 to Dennis Boles all disclose covers for hats. The covers are essentially flat material with a central hole that fits over a hat. They extend over the size of the brim of a hat to enlarge the shade or rain protection area. While these patents disclose devices that extend the shading brim of a hat they are not convertible into an umbrella to provide protection when a person is not wearing a hat.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,401 issued on Jan. 30, 1996, U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,779 issued Nov. 19, 1991 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,534 issued Dec. 25, 1990 all to Gary D. Johnson et al., disclose a Windproof Umbrella. The umbrella includes a two piece cover with air holes in the lower cover to allow wind to pass from under the umbrella and out between the outer cover. These patents disclose an umbrella with multiple covers, but the pieces are not interchangeable with a sun protection cover for a hat.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,506 issued Apr. 6, 1999 to Glenn Kupferman discloses an umbrella and an umbrella canopy. The underlying umbrella has a central mesh area that allows air to pass through the mesh area. A second canopy umbrella can be temporally secured over the mesh area to provide additional sun protection but also allow venting of air from under the umbrella. While this patent discloses a multi-piece umbrella cover it does not disclose using the pieces as a sun shade for a hat.
What is needed is a sunscreen that can be temporally placed over a hat and also can be secured to an umbrella spindle and arms to create additional protection from the sun and elements.